Two Years After
by mentalsunflower
Summary: It's two years after The Sealed Card. Things are awkward between Sakura and Syaoran, and soon both are worried about how the other feels after certain events. Not to mention, something funny is happening to Sakura's cards...
1. Two People Meet

**A/N:** This is my first S and S story that is going to be made of chapters. Actually, I haven't even written any one shots but one a long time ago. Heh. Okay. Some **IMPORTANT THINGS: **I'm following the anime here, because a) I have yet to find the sixth manga book in my small town, and b) there're are more cards to choose from that will come in handy later. I love the manga more, but the anime is just GAH as well. Now, I live in Canada so they only air the really bad American version, but thanks to the manga I know their Japanese names, so I'm using them instead. Heehee. Hope it's okay! And you know the title is so creative.

**PS:** There is no Wei. I don't like Wei. I like Syaoran living alone. Heehee.

**Disclaimer:** Things relating to Cardcaptor Sakura like characters, cards, location, etc. belong to the five wonderful ladies at CLAMP. Plot belongs to me, obviously, and…yea. Hope you enjoy!

_**Two Years After**_

"OH MY GOSH! I'M GOING TO BE SO LAAAAATE! KERO WHY DIDN'T YOU WAKE ME UP? YOU PROMISED!" Sakura nearly shrieked her head off, bounding out of bed and wrenching her closet open in one step. She flung out a green skirt and elbow-length pink shirt. She pulled on her socks as she hopped around her room, grabbing her hairbrush and pulling her skirt on at the same time. After she had switched shirts, she finally heard a noise from within Kero's drawer.

"Why're you being so loud?" he mumbled, poking his head out and rubbing his eyes. "What time is it?"

"IT'S TEN THIRTY, KERO!" Sakura screamed again, brushing her hair rapidly as she slid on her other sock. She managed to send an evil glare Kero's way. "You promised to wake me up! Now I'm going to be late!"

"Oh. Right," Kero managed to mutter, a small grin on his teddy bear face. "Woops."

"KERO!" Sakura grabbed her bag and flung it over her left shoulder. "HE'S GOING TO BE SOOO MAD!" With that, Sakura flung her door open and nearly stampeded down the stairs, leaving a shocked Kero in her wake.

* * *

She glanced at her watch and then at the airport that had just appeared on the horizon. One more glance at the cab driver told her she would be late to pick him up.

"Excuse me," she began with a strained, but polite voice, "can you hurry just a bit? The person I'm meeting is important."

It took a few moments for the driver to reply. "You're only thirteen," he said slowly, as if that explained everything. Sakura growled, slamming back into the seat of the cab, muttering darkly to herself and checking her watch again. Five minutes past. He was always too punctual for Sakura. She had just managed to pull herself out of bed thirty minutes ago. It was lucky she had seen this cab driving along her street, or she may have been in trouble. With her dad gone out to work and Toya off somewhere…

"We're here, Miss." The words snapped Sakura back into reality. She nodded at him, told him to stay here until she came back, and then continued to sit in the back seat. She wanted to move and get out of the car, but her body wouldn't listen. She was trembling from head to toe and felt like she was going to be sick. _It's safer if you just sit here,_ a voice told her. She willingly agreed.

"Miss? Aren't you…?"

"Oh. Yes." Sakura slid across the seat abruptly, the voice screaming to get back in. But she found herself opening the car door and stepping out into the brilliant sunlight. Sakura squinted her eyes, surveying the busy scene that was Tomoeda Airport.

Sakura felt her breath come in quick, painful gasps as she continued to stand, rooted to the spot. People leaving and entering the airport passed Sakura without a second glance. Sakura felt like tearing her hair out in frustration. She wanted to go, she wanted to see him…but at the same time, she wanted to run back home and pretend she hadn't received that phone call. She knew what it would be like—awkward, silent, and completely different. She hadn't seen him for two years. Hadn't felt his hands or hair or clothes. She hadn't seen his warm brown eyes or his shy smile. She had only heard his deeper voice on the phone, and had only read his writing in letters and emails. She knew how strange it was going to be to see him. And yet, her heart cried out to do just that. It swelled with the thought of even catching a glimpse of him, let alone knowing he was going to be there again for a long time…

Sakura made a disgruntled little noise, straightened her green skirt, and marched right through the airport doors, intent on every step she made, her eyes down to the floor. She had the horrible feeling he wouldn't come. He wouldn't be here, and he'd make up some excuse and Sakura would go back to feeling alone and stretched out across the countries. She didn't want that feeling again. Not ever.

It had seemed like ten seconds when Sakura realized she was in the waiting room. She began to fidget nervously, glancing at her watch every ten seconds. After two minutes, she peeked out the large window. There were no airplanes there, and it was already twenty after eleven!

"You're always late, aren't you?" asked a voice from behind Sakura. She froze in the process of scratching her nose. She knew that voice. It had changed, but she knew it. She felt her face turn red already, and she felt her breathing quicken again. Finally, she knew she had to turn around so she wouldn't seem rude.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Sakura whirled around to face the voice. It took her a whole ten seconds to finally open them. She couldn't help but let out a small gasp at what stood before her.

Syaoran was definitely different. His hair was the same color, if not a bit longer and messier. He was much taller than before, and his skin was darker. He wore dark blue pants and an orange, button up t-shirt. He held three bags in his hands and on his face was a nervous smile.

"S-S-Syaoran?" she asked meekly. She could tell he was just as surprised as her because of the shocked expression on his face.

"Are you Sakura?" he asked back, his face blushing a deep red. Sakura let out a nervous giggle.

"Yea, it's me."

"You look—different," he decided, and Sakura swooned at his voice. It was right here, in front of her. Not over the phone, but beside her, in person.

"So do you," she answered back. A heavy silence fell over them. Sakura couldn't handle it. Out of impulse, she leapt up and wrapped herself a hug around Syaoran, squeezing him tightly and hiding her face in his shoulder. She heard the suitcases drop from his hands in surprise.

"I missed you so much," she mumbled into his shirt. It smelled like it had been washed that morning. It took a few moments for Syaoran to answer.

"I missed you too," he told her quietly, and she could just see his beet red face. She smiled into his shoulder.

"I have a cab waiting outside. I guess we should hurry," she told him quietly. He nodded.

The two didn't move.

* * *

"Sorry, sorry, so sorry!" Sakura said for the hundredth time as she slid into the cab. The driver ignored her apologies and turned down the radio. Sakura silently fumed, annoyed that the driver didn't acknowledge her.

Two seconds later Syaoran slid in beside her, shutting the door with a click. He did up his seatbelt silently, as did Sakura. As the cab took off down the road, a silence settled itself between the two. Sakura had hoped that after the hug things would be easier now. Actually, it seemed as if it had made things even more awkward. Neither could utter a sound. Instead the only noise came from the radio, and the driver singing along to the music at random intervals.

"Excuse me," Sakura suddenly said to the driver. Even Syaoran managed to look her way. "Can you please head to Penguin King Park?"

"Will do," the driver agreed, and then began singing again. Good thing there was glass between them. The noise was slightly muffled then.

Another silence. Sakura felt like she was under inspection.

"You've grown taller," she said to the floor, blushing furiously. She heard Syaoran shift uncomfortably.

"Is that good or bad?" he asked.

Sakura smiled. "Definitely good."

"Thanks then."

Another, heavier, silence.

"You've grown out your hair," Syaoran told her, barely above a whisper. Sakura fingered the ends carefully. They now came down to her shoulders.

"Yea," she answered lamely, not bothering to tell him she had begun growing it out to impress him when he returned. "Does it look okay?"

"It looks nice," he said hesitantly, and Sakura knew that was a big compliment coming from Syaoran.

"Thanks," she told him. "So where will you be staying?" she asked.

"Back at my old house. Most of my bags were sent here earlier."

"Oh. That's cool."

He didn't answer. Sakura fidgeted in her seat, feeling the leather of the seat stick uncomfortably to the back of her legs.

After ten more minutes of heavy silence, the cab driver stopped at the park. "Is this the final stop?" Sakura was about to answer when Syaoran cut her off. "Yes."

Sakura looked over at him with a surprised look on her face.

"I can walk from here," he said simply, opening the door and stepping out. Sakura followed suit and chased him to the back of the car, where she helped lift out a suitcase.

"You can't walk from here! Not with all these bags!"

"I'll be _fine._"

Sakura heard the edge in his voice and backed off. She'd badger him about it later.

After paying the driver, Sakura helped carry two bags into the park, panting heavily by the time they reached the swings.

"Are you okay?" Syaoran asked, concerned. Sakura blushed under his worried gaze.

"Yea, I'm fine. Did you pack rocks in here or something?" She let out a nervous laugh and Syaoran gave her a similar, nervous smile.

"Just for you," he replied curtly. Sakura smiled and sat down on a swig abruptly, staring at the giant penguin slide and the two little children playing on it. A slight breeze blew past the couple. The sun was shining down on them, making Sakura more hot and uncomfortable then before. There were no clouds in the sky, which was a change from the rain they had been having all week. She supposed it was a good omen.

"So did you hear about Rika and Tereda-sensei?" Sakura asked suddenly. _You're so stupid,_ reprimanded the voice. _Talk about someone ELSE on the day he comes back because he loves you just that much? Yea, you're a genius._

"I've been in Hong Kong this whole time, so unless they sent news to all of Asia…"

Sakura laughed nervously. "Sorry. I—well—forgot. And that's really rude too. Augh! I'm sorry!" She turned away from him, just because he was smiling. She was sure he was laughing at her.

"What're you sorry about? It's just gossip, isn't it?"

Sakura nodded numbly. "Yea…I just—nevermind." She turned around and smiled at him, hoping to make him forget about her little episode. If he only knew she wanted to please him so much, to make him feel welcome and normal. It was so hard though. So hard.

"So anyway," she began, "they're supposedly together! I mean, I haven't heard it from Rika myself because I haven't seen her all summer break, but I met up with Chiharu and she told me that! Can you believe it? A teacher and a student. I never would have thought…"

Sakura saw the frown appear on Syaoran's face before she had even finished her sentence. She felt her stomach twist uncomfortably. She didn't like that frown. "Is something wrong?" she asked hesitantly.

"What? Oh. No, nothing. So…so when did they get together?"

"I don't know exactly. Chiharu said this summer, but Rika liked him _forever._ I guess it's good that he doesn't teach us anymore…" For the second time in less than one minute, Sakura let her sentence drift off. Syaoran had, once again, a frown plastered on his face. Sakura decided to fall silent and began swinging slowly back and forth.

Syaoran suddenly made a noise, as if he were going to say something. Sakura looked over at him expectantly, but he kept his eyes to the ground and his hands wrapped tightly around the chains of the swing. She resisted the urge to sigh heavily and looked over at the penguin slide again, swinging just a little bit.

"You—You look very…very pretty," he managed to stutter. Sakura felt her face grow warm and looked over at Syaoran, whose face was nearly giving off heat. His eyes were still focused on the ground, and Sakura noticed his knuckles were white as his hands grasped onto the chains.

"Thanks," Sakura replied meekly, fingering her new hair once again. For two people who admitted their love for each other to one another, you'd think they'd have more to talk about—or at least it wouldn't be so awkward.

"Do you remember Christmas?" Sakura suddenly asked, looking up at the sky as she remembered.

"Christmas? What Christmas?" Syaoran asked nervously.

"The one in grade six, silly! I remember how you asked me to visit you in Hong Kong. It was so hot that Christmas!"

Sakura knew the topic she had brought up was making Syaoran very nervous. He didn't say anything, but instead continued to blush and look at the sky as well. Sakura snuck a glance at him and smiled to herself.

"I remember helping you and your family decorate your mansion," Sakura continued, blushing to herself. "Meiling was there too. Your sisters were setting up that really big Christmas tree, and your maids were helping us decorate the walls and things. Remember?"

Syaoran nodded stiffly. "Yea—I remember."

"And then," continued Sakura, almost talking to herself now, "Meiling brought out the box of mistletoe. She was sticking them everywhere—on the sofa, the tables, the windows, everywhere!" Sakura paused and blushed deeply. "She ran outside to decorate the door with them, she said. She ran back in and told us she dropped one off of the balcony and that she had to finish decorating in the living room, so would we mind grabbing it?" Sakura fell silent, feeling her face heat up. "We went out the front door and past the shadow of the balcony Meiling had dropped it on. You bent to pick it up and that's when I looked up to the balcony to see Meiling had plastered some mistletoe on the balcony. 'Look,' I had said without thinking, 'some mistletoe!'" Sakura couldn't continue with the story. She didn't know why she was bringing it up. Obviously Syaoran had remembered it. But—

"And then," Sakura said again, "And then…"

"And then I—I kissed you," Syaoran said quietly, and Sakura looked over at him. His face was beet red and he was looking at his toes. Sakura smiled at him.

"Yea. That was grade six. A really long time ago…" she began to swing again, feeling the wind rush past her hair. "But I'm glad you came back."

"Me too," Syaoran replied quietly, drawing patterns in the sand with the toe of his shoe. Sakura felt her heart flutter at his voice again. She still couldn't believe that Syaoran was here again, right beside her.

"Are you excited to be going to school here again?"

"Yea," Syaoran told her, nodding. "It'll be good to see everyone again."

Sakura laughed. "Tomoyo was so excited when I told her you were coming. I think she wants us to try on costumes or something so she can tape us," Sakura giggled, glad the tension was finally easing away.

Syaoran looked at her warily. "Please tell me you don't want to."

"Oh, I don't," Sakura said hurriedly. "Wearing those costumes always made me feel awkward, but Tomoyo was always so happy when I wore them. But don't worry, I won't make you wear matching ones or anything!"

Syaoran laughed, and it made Sakura's heart swell. "That's good. Tomoyo kind of scares me," he said quietly. Sakura giggled.

"Yea, I can see how. She's a little—er—excitable," she decided. Syaoran nodded in agreement. Another silence fell, but this time it wasn't as tension filled or nearly as awkward. It was actually somewhat…peaceful.

"Oh!" Sakura suddenly cried, clapping her hands together. Syaoran looked round at her. "There's a huge party going on at Tomoyo's next week!"

"A party?" Syaoran asked lightly.

"Yea!" Sakura nodded excitedly as she began to swing slowly back and forth again. "I completely forgot! Something huge, important, and good happened to Tomoyo's mom's toy business, so she's throwing a party for the whole city! It's really unlike her, but it's getting _so_ much publicity. I guess it's 'cause she can afford TV commercials and stuff." Sakura looked up at the sky. "I'm so excited to go. I wonder who's all going to be there?"

Syaoran shrugged. "Probably everyone, if it's as big as you make it sound," he said knowledgeably and somewhat teasingly. Sakura only stuck her tongue out at him.

"It's gonna be SO big though. I mean, there's going to be tons of food and music and games and dancing! Tomoyo said she was putting together a mix _just_ for dancing!"

"The only dancing I know is ball room dancing," Syaoran stated wryly. Sakura giggled knowingly.

"Same here, but I might just step on your feet."

"Then I'll do well to avoid them," quoted Syaoran from their lines of the play two years earlier. Sakura laughed out loud, and Syaoran even chuckled.

"That was such a fun play," Sakura said. "I'm glad you became the lead instead of Takashi."

Syaoran smiled. "Thanks."

Just then, Sakura glanced at her watch and let out an audible gasp. "We should get your bags to your house now!"

"We?" asked back Syaoran. Sakura smiled as she ran for one of the bags.

"Did you think I was going to let you carry all these bricks home by yourself? Sometimes you're so selfish," she teased, gripping one tightly and dragging it across the sand.

"Are you sure you can manage though?" Syaoran asked seriously, ignoring her teasing comments. "It's not like I live around the corner you know."

Sakura suddenly grinned at him in a mischievous way. "Oh, I know that. Hang on one second, I'll be right back!" She looked furtively over at the two children, than ran behind a tree. Syaoran watched curiously until he saw her magic circle appear. With an inward groan, he knew what she was going to do.

Suddenly, Sakura raced back out, as normal looking as ever. "Well, shall we go?" she asked quickly, grabbing the bag and lifting it with much more ease than before.

Syaoran stayed silent as they walked along the street. Sakura barely felt the weight of the bags, so she was able to concentrate on Syaoran. "Why're you so quiet?" she asked.

"I'm not dense you know," he said suddenly. "I know you used the Power card." He looked at her rather pointedly. Sakura gave a nervous giggle.

"I didn't…" she said through helpless and very nervous giggles. "You're imagining, Syaoran."

Syaoran rolled his eyes. "You know that you're not supposed to use them for little things—like carrying _my_ bags."

Sakura flapped a hand at him. "Oh, they're my cards now, I think I get a say in how I use them, hmm?"

Syaoran made some incoherent mumbles, but Sakura only smiled. "You know, I could always help you carry those bags--"

"No way!" he said loudly. "_I_ don't cheat."

"It's not cheating!" Sakura told him huffily. "It's helping along the way."

Syaoran couldn't help but smile at that, which relieved Sakura. So she wasn't completely messing up so far.

"Hey, Sakura?" Syaoran asked quietly. Sakura looked over at him curiously.

"Yes?"

"Thanks," he said meekly. Sakura looked curiously at him.

"Thanks? For what?"

"For—for making me feel at home again," he said even more quietly. Sakura felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She _never_ used to blush this much!

"Oh, it's no problem!" she said hurriedly. "I wanted to make you feel at home again." Because I want this to be your home, she thought inwardly, but didn't say anything like that aloud.

Syaoran only grinned, and Sakura felt her heart beat faster at that smile.

Two blocks later, Syaoran asked, "Sakura…do you mind lending me some of that strength?"

Sakura laughed as she grabbed her key. "Sure! Cheater," she added. Syaoran only blushed, which made Sakura smile again. As she ran behind a tree (she was on a busy road.), to change the key into her staff, she realized that maybe things wouldn't be so bad.

* * *

"I'm hooome!" Sakura cried, slipping off her shoes and stepping into her new duck slippers. She had been at Syaoran's the rest of the afternoon helping him fix up his house again. She grinned to herself at the memory, and how he had made a supper she could only dream of ever cooking. With a curious look Sakura stepped into the kitchen. "Hello?" she asked somewhat timidly. That was odd. Her dad should at least be home…

"Sakura!" Kero popped out from a cupboard, where food was spilling out and onto the floor. Sakura let out a gasp.

"Kero!" she yelled back, but not in a happy way as Kero had done. He looked down at the cupboard.

"What?"

"You're making a huge mess!" Sakura cried as she ran over and began to slide the boxes of food neatly into the shelves again. Kero made a noise of disapproval.

"Well if you just made me food once in a while…"

"You don't _need_ food," Sakura snapped back, bringing back her broom and began sweeping up the spilled food. "Honestly. First you don't wake me up, than you make a huge mess. You're lucky no one else was here, or else _I'd _be the one to get into trouble!"

"Oh that's right. There should be a note for you on the table," Kero said as he hovered in the air. "Your dad came in earlier this morning when you gone to leave you one."

After sweeping, Sakura rushed over to the note on the table. Squinting, she read his tiny writing. "Sakura," she began aloud, "Where were you this morning? It's my excavation, remember? Well, Toya knows and he should be home soon. I'll see you in three days, honey. I love you. Love, Dad." Sakura got a horrified look on her face.

"Oh no! I totally forgot about Dad's excavation! Oooh, now I feel so bad I didn't say goodbye!" Sakura crumpled the note and tossed it in the garbage can, pacing the kitchen. "I hope Toya was nice for once and told him I said bye or something."

"He'll be back in three days, and then you can tell him you're sorry or whatever you want to tell him," Kero said from behind her. He was sitting at the table and eating a cookie from the dish in the center. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Don't you ever stop eating, Kero?"

"Don't you ever stop thinking about your boyfriend?" he shot back through a mouth filled with cookie crumbs. Sakura blushed red.

"Stop it, Kero!"

"Stop what?"

"Teasing me about that! You HAVE for the past two years! It's annoying," she cried, waggling her finger.

"What's annoying?"

"Augh! Nevermind!" Sakura stomped up to her bedroom, where she shut the door behind her rather hard. "Kero always has to go and make me feel so stupid," she muttered under her breath. Sitting down on her bed, Sakura saw her book of cards on the table. It was now pink rather than red, and it said Sakura at the top. Grabbing the book she looked at it lovingly. The thought of someone else doing what she was doing now with these cards made her almost sad. Kero and Yue would have a different master someday, and these cards would have to be changed one day as well. Wouldn't they?

She stopped thinking about it and instead opening the book. She took out her cards and shuffled through them until she got to a certain one; Hope. She was so surprised that her card and the Void had joined together to create Hope. "Hope," she whispered quietly to herself. There was still hope that things between her and Syaoran would work out.

"Hope," she said to the card, as if it were a neighbor rather than a piece of paper, "I hope Syaoran doesn't get tired of me. I know you don't grant wishes, but I'm pretty sure you understand what I mean, since you're Hope and all. I really want Syaoran to feel normal and at home again. I want it to be like how it used to be, you know? I guess it just feels weird between us right now because of the two years we haven't seen each other, but…"

Sakura paused. She had heard a noise outside. Opening her door a crack, she peeked out to see Kero asleep on the floor just outside her door. He must have eaten so much that he had fallen asleep before even reaching her room! Sakura gave him an annoyed look, than ran back to her bed to shuffle through the card once more.

"This'll teach you to make fun of me," she said under her breath, stifling a giggle as she called upon her key. When it was a staff, she held up the card she wanted.

"Lock," she began, "lock my door and hear my plea, keep Kero out for me!" She held up the staff and saw Lock zoom out of the card, latching itself onto her doorknob and then fizzling away. Sakura grinned. Let Kero sleep out there tonight. It'd show him.

With a smile Sakura sat on her bed again, taking out all the cards and setting them up on her bed. "You guys always know how to help me," she told them, giggling. "Thanks."

Her eyes drifted towards the Hope card again, her thoughts drifting to Syaoran.

"And you helped keep Syaoran with me," she whispered to the card. "And I thank you especially for that."

**A/N:** Well, that's it for my first chapter of my S and S story. I know it's a bit boring, but that's because he just came back. They had to talk some and I had to show just how awkward it was. So, I hope you don't get turned off by this particularly nasty chapter. Something, hopefully, interesting will come along if my muses are with me these days. Thanks for reading!


	2. Shadow of a Soul

**A/N:** The second chapter! Some mysterious things are going on with Sakura's magic, and Tomoyo is up to her usual costume designing. And Syaoran is just…there. To be a nice guy. Read and review!

**PS:** There is no Wei. I don't like Wei. I like Syaoran living alone. Heehee.

**Disclaimer:** Things relating to CardCaptor Sakura like characters, cards, location, etc. belong to the five wonderful ladies at CLAMP. Plot belongs to me, obviously, and…yea. Hope you enjoy!

_**Two Years After**_

"Ooooh Sakura! You look BEAUTIFUL in that outfit!" Tomoyo nearly twirled her way towards Sakura, trusty video camera in hand. "Just _wait_ until Syaoran sees you like this!" she cried with shining eyes. Sakura gave her a scared look.

"Tomoyo! I can't possibly just walk down the street in—in this!" she gestured to the large and frilly dress Tomoyo had forced her to adorn. It was a light pink with darker pink gauze draping overtop. She had on elbow length gloves of the same kind, and even little boots to match. "I feel like I'm supposed to be going to a ball or something, not the store!"

"THAT'S IT!" Tomoyo nearly shrieked, her face shining with delight. "THIS can be you outfit to the dance!"

"No," Sakura told her flatly. "Sorry Tomoyo, but I'd like to wear something a little less—er—loud."

Tomoyo heaved a huge sigh, shaking her head sadly. "Well, if it must be done…" She nodded and smiled. "Don't worry, Sakura, I'll think up the _perfect_ outfit!"

Sakura was glad to escape her best friend as she ran to the washroom. Sometimes Tomoyo suffocated her a bit with her huge and flamboyant costumes. She preferred dressing normally then to the way Tomoyo insisted on. Too bad that whenever she was at Tomoyo's, she was in costume.

She walked back out to Tomoyo's bedroom, where she was sketching away heartily at her drawing board. "I just got inspired!" she gushed, grinning up at Sakura. "So while I draw, go get yourself some food. You must be starving from all my measuring!"

Sakura gave her a shocked expression. "You mean down in your house? In _this?_"

"Sakura, you make it sound like it's a bad thing! Go, go, go!"

"B-B-But…"

"Don't worry, we're home alone!"

Sakura sighed heavily. "All right, all right, I'll get food."

"Then go!" Tomoyo insisted, pushing her out the door. "You need food and I need silence. It's perfect!" With that she closed the door behind Sakura, leaving her alone in Tomoyo's huge and spacious hallway, which led down to the even larger house area.

She was treading carefully throughout the house, ready to leap behind objects and walls if someone walked by. Oddly enough, the whole house was completely empty. It sent shivers down Sakura's spine, but that didn't mean she was cold. The dress was large and puffy, causing Sakura to swelter underneath its many heavy layers. Deciding that the quickest way to the kitchens was past the front door, she started to run.

But just as she was passing the front door, the doorbell rang. She froze. Sakura felt herself begin to sweat even more at the thought of answering the door. Someone else would answer it, right?

The doorbell rang again. Sakura looked at it nervously. It was polite to open the door. She had been raised to always be polite. She could always hide her dress and just peek her head out too. But what if it was someone REALLY important for Tomoyo's mom? She'd _have_ to let them in, and then they'd see her ridiculous costume.

Just take a step, coaxed her mind. Ignore it. So Sakura took one more step, which fell in side with the doorbell ringing again. With an inward groan she shuffled over to it, thinking about how she would bother Tomoyo to get a more reliable staff someday soon.

"Hello?" she asked, opening the door a crack and peeking out, making sure to keep her dress hidden behind the sturdy door.

"Um—is Tomoyo home?" asked an unsteady voice. Sakura thought she might drop to the floor right there and then.

"S-S-SYAORAN?" she nearly shrieked. He looked up from his shoes, startled.

"SAKURA?" he asked equally as loud. "What're you doing here? Why did you answer the door? Where're her staff? Why're you hiding?"

Sakura felt herself blush at all of his questions. "I'm here because Tomoyo had some—um—business. I answered the door because I was on the way to the kitchen, and I don't know where her staff are, and I'm hiding because I feel like it," she said lamely. "What're YOU doing here?"

It was his turn to blush deeply. "Uh—um—Kero said—he said that you were…er…over here, so I decided…"

"You went to see me?" Sakura asked, fading from embarrassed to pleasantly surprised. "That's so sweet of you!"

Syaoran scuffled his shoes on the cement. "Yea, well…"

"OH!" Sakura cried without thinking. "Come in, I'll get us food or something."

Syaoran stepped in and Sakura clicked the door shut, turning around to see Syaoran staring at her with his mouth agape. When he noticed her face him, he looking hastily back at the ground. Sakura remembered why he was staring and felt herself blush.

"Oh, mean old Tomoyo! She was making me wear this and she wouldn't let me change out of it! Augh, now I remember why I didn't want to answer the door!" Sakura huffed and puffed, trying to flatten out the flaring dress, grunting to make it smaller. Syaoran had been staring at her! Did she really look so ugly in it? Tomoyo had a completely different opinion—but then again, Tomoyo wasn't always to be trusted.

"I think you look…you look nice," Syaoran whispered. Sakura stopped her flattening and beamed.

"Really?"

"Well, it's a little frilly…"

Sakura laughed nervously. "Yea, well, Tomoyo's all about frills. Want me to change, and then we can get something to eat?"

Syaoran gave her a smile. "Well, it'd probably be easier on you. You look like you're dying in that thing."

"Really?" Sakura asked self consciously, touching her face. "I didn't…didn't notice…" She felt just how hot and clammy her face was. Come to think of it, she hadn't had breakfast that day either and she was terribly hungry.

"Sakura?" an echoing voice asked. "Sakura, are you okay?"

She tried to say yes, but nothing came out. Instead, she took several large gasps of air, as if she were drowning. And then she felt herself collapse, completely out of the blue, onto the ground.

* * *

"Tomoyo, just get her some ice…"

"But I can't leave Sakura!"

"I just carried her up three flights of stairs! I don't want to move again! Get some ice!"

"Okay, okay…"

Shuffled steps. A door closing. Someone was heaving a big sigh, then the scraping of a chair against floor. Sakura felt movement from right beside her head.

"W-Who?" she asked feebly. She wasn't even sure if the word had come out as a word.

"Sakura?" asked a nervous voice. A familiar voice.

"Syaoran?"

"You're okay!" Sakura couldn't even open her eyes yet, but she felt him leaning down and hugging her around the shoulders. She began to blush, even though she was barely conscious. He seemed to realize his sudden movement and backed off quickly, leaving in a breath of air.

"I mean…that's good," he said. Sakura smiled, managing to bat her eyes open.

"What…?"

"You fainted down by the door. I'm guessing it's because of that dress," he said, pointing to the crumpled remains of the dress on the floor. Sakura's face grew red.

"W-W-What?" She felt her body and realized she was wearing different clothes. They felt like silk pajamas. Her face grew even redder, and she weakly pulled the quilt closer up to her chin. Syaoran saw the horrified expression on her face and began to blush as well.

"I went outside," he said simply. Sakura sighed heavily.

"Tomoyo?"

"Yea, she helped you get into bed. Then she called me in." Syaoran shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"I GOT THE ICE!" called a breathless voice from Tomoyo's door. Sakura looked over to see her friend running over with a bag of ice wrapped in a towel. "OH MY GOD, SAKURA!" She dropped the ice with a clatter and raced to her friend, giving her a huge hug. "Oh Sakura, I was so terribly worried! I honestly didn't know my dresses would cause you to fall unconscious!" She looked near tears, and Sakura tried to tell her it was okay with what little ability she had left to speak.

"Tomoyo…it's…okay." She shook her head, smiling a little.

Syaoran appeared beside Tomoyo with the dropped bag of ice in his hand. "Hold this to your forehead," he instructed to Sakura. "You were overheated and dehydrated." He also handed her a cup of water that had mysteriously appeared. "Drink this as well."

Sakura obeyed his instructions, sipping gently on the water and holding the ice up to her throbbing head. It was good to have Syaoran there, who kept a steady head. Unlike Tomoyo, who seemed devastated her costumes could bring such pain to her best friend.

"Sorry," she said meekly to Syaoran. "Not…much…of a visit."

Syaoran only smiled gently at her, making Sakura glow inside. "It's all right. Just get some rest. I'll see you later, okay?"

Sakura nodded at him. He nodded over at Tomoyo, who smiled nervously. Sakura waited until she heard the click of the door. He was gone. After helping her. She'd have to thank him so much later. But for now…

"I'll call your father, Sakura."

"He's…away."

"Oh." Tomoyo looked nervously at the wall. "Is Toya home?"

Sakura nodded.

"I'll call him then."

As Tomoyo rushed off, Sakura didn't even bother to ask why her friend kept tabs on how to reach her brother. All she cared about at the moment was sleep.

* * *

Sakura woke up later to find herself safely snuggled deep into her own bed quilts, with Kero sitting beside her head.

"Kiddo! You're awake!" he cried with relief. Sakura smiled, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey Kero."

"Are you feeling better?"

Sakura nodded. He smiled. "How'd I get home?"

"I saw your brother leave and then come back with you. Obviously, I couldn't ask any questions."

Sakura nodded, sitting up unsteadily. "I don't understand why I fainted. I mean, just because I didn't eat breakfast, and just because I was wearing a costume of Tomoyo's…"

"That's not it," Kero said sharply and suddenly Sakura cocked her head.

"Huh?"

"There's something…else," he said slowly, as if he were choosing his words carefully. "Something else that's making you tired. It has to do with your magic."

"My…magic? But I've changed all the cards, so I have no reason to be tired! I can keep them all cards! I'm all right!"

"It's not what your magic is doing. It's seems--"

"Sakura?" Kero froze immediately, falling over on her quilts. Toya looked down at him with an expression that read 'stop being stupid.' Then he looked up at Sakura with a worried face.

"Are you better now?"

Sakura nodded, still trying to puzzle over Kero's statement about her magic. "Yea."

"Good," he said stiffly. "You shouldn't be passing out on summer holidays."

"Well it's not my fault Tomoyo makes me wear stuff like that!"

"But it's your fault for skipping breakfast."

Sakura glared at him. He glared right back. She finally sighed, falling onto her back with a soft plop. "I'm tired," she hinted bluntly. He took it and closed the door behind him.

Without even pausing for a breath, Sakura reached for her cell phone, dialing Syaoran's cell number as well.

"Hello?" asked a voice on the other end.

"Syaoran! Hi!"

"Sakura!" he cried, surprised.

"Are you surprised?" she asked, teasing.

"Well, yea. I didn't think you'd be better so fast…"

Sakura smiled. "I just called to say thanks a _whole_ bunch."

"I—I didn't do _that_ much," he began to mutter.

"But you did! If you hadn't come by, I would have fainted on my way to the kitchen, and no one would have found me until way later! If it wasn't for you, I'd probably still by lying there." The thought sent a shiver down Sakura's spine.

"Well, I don't know…"

"So thanks," Sakura butted in. "Want to do something later? We can walk down to the school or something!"

"Sakura, you need rest," he told her sternly.

"But I'm fine, really…"

"He's right, Kiddo," Kero said knowingly from beside her. "And it's best not to go out too much, what with your magic."

"What's wrong with her magic?" Syaoran asked nervously. Sakura glared at Kero.

"Nothing is wrong," she said, putting emphasis on the word nothing.

"Something's draining her magic!" Kero suddenly cried, shocking both Sakura _and_ Syaoran.

"What?" Sakura cried, startled.

"Your magic. It's going. And you haven't used any cards today, have you?"

Sakura shook her head, with Syaoran saying through the phone, "what? What's going on? Sakura! What's he saying?"

"Kero! Couldn't you have at least waited? Now I'll never be able to do anything, with both of you around!"

"Sakura," Syaoran called through the phone, "get rest! Listen to the stuffed animal!"

"HEY!" Kero cried, racing over to the phone that Sakura was holding limply. "WHO'S a stuffed animal?"

"Kero," Sakura said warningly.

"No, I'm serious, that brat thinks--"

"Look Syaoran, I gotta go," she said into the phone. "Can we do something tomorrow then?"

"Yes. As long as you rest _today._"

"I will, Dad."

Syaoran mumbled through the phone, and Sakura giggled. "Thanks again. For worrying." She could almost see Syaoran blush as he stammered something like a 'you're welcome.' "Bye Syaoran!" she said, then clicked the off button her phone. With a big sigh she fell down, back first, onto her bed once more.

"Why aren't things as fun as they should have been? I thought everything to do with my magic was over," Sakura sighed, rolling over and feeling her eyes grow heavy. "I thought…things…could…normal…" she was out faster than you could say Sleep Card.

"Things are just beginning, Sakura," Kero whispered threateningly to the air. "And I don't understand any more than you do."

* * *

"Syaoran! Hurry up!" Sakura cried, laughing from ahead. Syaoran was holding all the bags, his face growing red with the effort.

"Why don't—you—try carrying—something?" he asked, panting heavily. Sakura winked at him.

"I could always help you…"

"You can't use cards!" Syaoran barked viciously, causing Sakura to pause in her dance-like walk. "You know how hard that would be on your magic?"

Sakura rolled her eyes. "You and Kero are both worrying too much. I'm sure that it's just if I'm tired, my magic is too." Sakura decided to drop the subject right there and then. "So, I hope you like the picnic lunch I made!"

Syaoran could only nod as he carried the bags. Finally, after much tittering, the two made it to the large, grassy park, where Syaoran unloaded the luggage with a huge, relieved sigh. Sakura unfolded the large blanket, making sure it was flat and neat on the grass. Then she took the bags from Syaoran and began to set out its contents, grinning at the feast in front of her. "It's ready!" she cried.

Syaoran wobbled over to the blanket, gasping at all the food. "_You_ made this?"

Sakura gave him a pouty face. "You make it sound like I can't."

"That's not what I meant," he said in a rush, sitting neatly in front of the food. "I just…didn't know. I could have cooked some," he muttered, blushing. Sakura laughed.

"Next time, okay?"

The two joked around and ate for the next little while. Sakura was so glad to finally be able to spend time with Syaoran again, without anything strange, magical, or awkward being in the way.

"Excuse me," said a girl's hesitant voice. The two looked over at the voice, startled.

A few feet away from their blanket stood a girl who looked a year or so younger than them. Her hair was long and a striking red, done up in a messy braid. She wore dirty clothes and she was frightfully pale. She looked at the two as if she were about to cry.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked immediately, standing up suddenly. She looked over at Sakura, knees knocking. "Do you need help with anything?" Sakura asked nervously. She heard Syaoran stand up beside her defensively, almost protectively. She felt warm inside again.

"I just…I just…" she sounded weak and it alarmed Sakura greatly. You normally didn't see people like this at the park. You just didn't.

"Be careful," Syaoran muttered as Sakura took a step nearer. She looked at him.

"What?"  
"There's something strange about her. I can…I can sense something," Syaoran hissed sharply. "It's not normal."

"Nothing can _ever_ be normal, can it?"

"That's not what I mean--"

Sakura ignored his protests and walked closer to the girl, who took an alarmed step back. "I can help you," she said gently. "Don't worry. Just tell us what you need."

"I-I don't need anything," the girl whispered, mortified. Sakura looked at her strangely. "But you'll—you'll need some…"

Sakura grasped for her key instinctively. Syaoran had been right. Now that she focused, something was definitely off.

"Run!" the girl suddenly shrieked, and Sakura took a step back. "RUN! IF YOU DON'T, SHE'LL--"

Something happened to the girl that cut her off. Her body grew still, and it began to glow a deep, dark purple. Her eyes were open, wide, and vacant. Her hair began to stand on end, as if she were surrounded by static. After this eerie calm she began to convulse, twitching and screaming and rolling her eyes. Sakura shrieked. Syaoran came running. Something black escaped out of the girl's shrieking mouth, rising to the sky. With a sigh, the body of the girl slumped forward onto the grass.

"Oh no!" Sakura cried, running for the girl.

"STOP!" Syaoran commanded, pointing at the black blob in the sky that began to take form. "Be ready!"

A deep, booming voice spoke. "Sakura Kinomoto. I've heard much about you."

Sakura was too stunned to speak. The black thing was taking the shape of the redheaded girl below, but it was like a shadow—wispy and black, but with glowing, red eyes. The voice definitely did not suit the spirit.

"G-Give that back to the girl!" Sakura cried shrilly, pointing up at it. "You stole her spirit!" she didn't know how she knew this, but she just did. She understood that the black shadow was vital for the body below it.

"Stole? No, no, no. I merely—borrowed," the voice hissed. "Unless, of course, you fail."

"F-F-Fail?"

But the thing didn't answer. Syaoran gave a yelp of surprise as the black shadow of the girl dove down at them, moving so fast she became a black blur, speeding for the ground.

Sakura couldn't think. She couldn't react. All that took over her mind was the replay of the girl's body, twitching and shrieking before her, and then crumpling to the ground in defeat…

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**A/N: **Oohoohoo, a to be continued? I never write those, but I decided to leave you on the edge of your seat. Er, if you are. Which I hope you are. Please review, and thanks for reading!


	3. A Familiar Face?

**A/N:** This one introduces a new character. If you don't read, the rest of the story will NOT MAKE ANY SENSE. So read it, even though there's lots of talking. And I tried harder to add some detail and stuff. And don't worry, you'll get to see Kero in his true form!

**PS:** There is no Wei. I don't like Wei. I like Syaoran living alone. Heehee.

**Disclaimer:** Things relating to CardCaptor Sakura like characters, cards, location, etc. belong to the five wonderful ladies at CLAMP. Plot belongs to me, obviously, and…yea. Hope you enjoy!

_**Two Years After**_

"SAKURA!"

Sakura felt her body being shoved to the side. She flopped onto the grass like a rag doll and rolled a few feet away from where she had fallen. She saw Syaoran standing above her, glowering. He was about to yell something at her, when the shadowy spirit rammed into the earth where they had bee standing not two seconds ago. The ground beneath them shook, and Sakura scrambled up, giving Syaoran a scared look. He glared at her, as if to say 'get back!'

Sakura wretched her key off of the necklace, and in seconds she had her staff in hand, while Syaoran has his sword beside her. The spirit was now hovering over the body of the girl, as if it were watching them.

Sakura took these few seconds to glance around them. No one else was near them. The park was completely empty, which was odd for such a beautiful day. But she realized it was no longer sunny. Instead it was gray and overcast, and she had a feeling this weather was brought by the arrival of the thing that possessed the girl.

"What, are you chicken or something?" It taunted, its red eyes narrowing into slits. Syaoran gave a noise of agitation, but Sakura grabbed his arm.

"We can't hurt the spirit!" she hissed.

"How in the world do you know it's a spirit? Just because it came out of her body doesn't mean it's her soul!"

"She's _dead,_ Syaoran! She died when THAT thing came out of it!"

Before he could yell something back, the shadow sprinted at them. Sakura had just enough time to call out Shield.

"SHIELD!" she screamed, and the two were temporarily saved from the shadow. It rammed into the wall, giving off a high-pitched shriek that caused both of them to cringe.

"THE CARDS! YOU ARE USING THE CARDS!" it cried in its unusually deep voice. Its eyes were now wild and crazy. Sakura felt her skin crawl at the look it sent her.

"Sakura!" Syaoran's voice brought her back into battle mode. "How can we get rid of this thing?"

"We CAN'T!" she cried back, feeling tears for the unknown girl to well up. "I couldn't do that! It's like murder!"

"Enough with the chit chat!" the voice yelled, raising a hand to the sky. "I am getting bored of you!"

At those words Shield vanished, fluttering helplessly back to Sakura. She gasped, and the hand of the shadow began to twitch. The fingers were grabbing at something that didn't exist. And then…and then, a small ball of light began to form…

"It's lightning!" Sakura screamed, unable to move. This shadow was mesmerizing. She knew she had to do something, but _what?_ What could beat a living, breathing shadow of a soul?

"SAKURA!" For the second time on that trip, Syaoran pushed Sakura out of the way, grabbing a slip of yellow paper from his pocket at the same time. "SUMMON LIGHTNING!" he cried at the exact same time the shadow sent a blast of lightning his way.

The two powers of lightning battled each other; Syaoran's weakening at the sheer strength hidden in that of the shadows. Sakura snapped out of her trance, realizing she _had_ to help, or Syaoran would get hurt!

"THUNDER!" she summoned, her eyes wide in fear. With the added power of her lightning, the shadow's fizzled away into nothing. Sakura began to feel woozy. Something about her magic being sucked away found itself in her thoughts.

Syaoran smiled at her for thanks, and Sakura smiled back. Right there, it felt like old times—when the two of them had battled cards or other obstacles.

But her good thoughts were whisked away by the shadow as it advanced towards them, taking light, suspicious steps.

"Now, now, can two little children _really_ defeat me? If you do…" It made a sweeping motion back to the body of the young girl, crumpled and pale. "She will be gone, you know."

The thought of anyone dying made Sakura's eyes grow wet. She rubbed at them with her sleeve, annoyed at how weak she seemed. And how weak the shadow was _making _her seem.

"You're trying to manipulate us!" Syaoran yelled. The shadow smirked.

"Surprise."

"Stop it!" Sakura cried, feeling anger well up in her chest. "You can't just do that! You can't just take someone's life and use it as your own! That's _pathetic!_"

"Sakura—" Syaoran began warningly, but Sakura cut him off.

"No! You know what? I'm sick of you already! You're evil!" She was breathing heavily now, mind whirling. If she kept talking, she would have time to think. What could she use? What could she _possibly_ use to defeat such a powerful opponent? It had almost destroyed Syaoran's magic, which was definitely saying something. And it had weakened Shield! She needed a distraction. Any kind of distraction…

"EARTHY!" she cried spontaneously, feeling flustered as she summoned the card. "Start an earthquake!"

Sakura really had no idea what was happening. She felt the ground begin to tremble beneath her. In those few moments, the shadow really _did_ seem distracted at the ground around it turning and tumbling.

Sakura fumbled for an answer as she forced herself to stay calm. Was this shadow the same as the actual Shadow Card? How had she captured that? With…with light?

"Here goes!" she cried, throwing a card into the air. "LIGHT!"

A blinding flash caused Sakura to shield her eyes. Everything was lit up in a bright, overwhelming white light. Something shrieked in the distance. She didn't know what it was though. She prayed it was the shadow. She felt her power draining slowly out from underneath her. What was going on?

Seconds later, the light seemed to fade into nothing. Sakura blinked, little dots dancing around her eyes. The park was normal again, except for the lack of people and the sudden stormy weather.

"Sakura, are you okay?" Syaoran was beside her in a second, resting a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Sakura?"

"I'm fine," she answered with a trembling voice. "What about that thing?" She clutched her staff tighter and spun around, searching for it.

"It's gone," he answered. "It's gone, and I know that…"

Sakura didn't let him answer. She raced over to her, clutching at the stranger's arm and spinning her around so she could see her face.

"Hello? Hello? Are you all right?" she asked nervously, feeling her forehead.

"Now why would you feel her forehead?" Syaoran asked, appearing on the other side of the girl and lifting her limp arm. "That's to see if someone's sick, not alive."

"How can you be so calm?" Sakura asked shrilly. "She might be dead!"

Syaoran had his thumb overtop her wrist for a few moments before replying. "She has a pulse," he said simply. "She's not dead."

Sakura let out a laugh. "Oh, good. I was scared…" She stopped, lifting a hand to rub at her forehead. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, and then coughed.

"Sakura, you used tons of cards today!" Syaoran said in a horrified whisper. "Not to mention the Light Card, which is very hard for someone to use! And your magic is being drained! You can't just use four cards in one time period and expect to be okay!"

"I _usually_ am," Sakura snapped back grouchily.

"Yea, but that's when you're normal. Right now, something is going on with your magic. And I bet it has to do with…"

"Syaoran," Sakura said suddenly, looking down at the girl. She saw her eyelids flutter, but they remained shut. "Call Tomoyo, okay?"

"What?" he asked, a bewildered look on his face. "What are you talking about?"

Sakura only flapped a hand at him, feeling immensely woozy. "You were…right. I am—tired." And with that, she fell down beside the redheaded girl, lost in a deep, unconscious, sleep.

* * *

"What are you doing here, anyway?"

"She told me to come, Syaoran."

"Why? To _check up_ on me?"

"I don't know…"

"I saw you in the park, and I was wondering what you were doing here. Meiling was enough, but not you too—"

"Hey, I'm not as bad as her! I could care less about…"

"So you go by the name of Midori now, hm?"

"Er—yes."

"Sakura will want to know it when she wakes up."

"So her name is Sakura?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Well I'm very happy she rescued me." There was a pause. "Oh, and you too of course!"

"Y-Yea, well…whatever," someone mumbled.

"Hello?" Sakura asked sleepily.

"Hey!" cried an energetic voice. Sakura opened her eyes to see a blurry, red, figure before her.

"Who are you?" she asked stupidly, blinking to try and get her view focused.

"Oh, sorry! I'm Midori Kawashi, grateful to you and always at your service!"

"She doesn't care about stuff like that," Syaoran mumbled. Sakura smiled.

"Syaoran! What happened?"

"Well, you obviously drained yourself out, didn't you? We kept telling you, but…"

"What?" Sakura sat bolt upright, realizing for the first time she was in the living room at her home. A blanket covered her and she was still in the same clothes as their picnic. It seemed to be late afternoon. Sakura guessed that it was around dinner, because her stomach was begging for food. She glanced over at what the red blob had been to see the red-haired girl earlier.

"Hey!" she cried, momentarily distracted, "you're the girl!"

"Yes!" Midori cried brightly, grinning as if a young child had just learned something new. "I'm eternally grateful to you for saving me."

Sakura cast a long side glance at Syaoran. Did she—

"Er, Syaoran?"

He looked over at her, and nodded slightly at her mental question. She gasped.

"Y-You mean, she—she…"

"The cards?" Midori asked suddenly, flapping a hand at her. "Yes, of course I know about the cards!" she let out a tinkled laugh, and Syaoran cringed. "In fact, I know Syaoran too!"

Sakura gaped at her. This was taking a while to soak in. "Okay, w-wait a minute…" she took a deep breath. "You know Syaoran. You know about the cards. Do you know what that thing was, or what it's doing?" she switched over to Syaoran. "And did you know she was here? How come you didn't act like you knew her in the park?"

Midori laughed again, rubbing her hands together in anticipation. "Okay, okay, this is how it works. I know Syaoran. Not as much as I know his mom, but I know him. His mom always came over to visit my family, so I got pretty close with her. She was like—like a real mom." She stopped for a moment, and then continued. "And I know about the cards, because Syaoran's family isn't the _only_ family in China that's magical! Mine is too, and even though I wasn't blessed with magic as strong as theirs, my family knew of the cards. They're a legend to all magical families in China, didn't you know? My family was so honored to meet a descendent of Clow Reed. And the only thing I know about the shadow is that it's true form…well, it doesn't have one. I guess to answer that though, you need to know why I'm here."

"You're _here,_ because Mother sent you," Syaoran snapped. Midori grew slightly pink in the face.

"Well, maybe…"

"She sent you because she knew something strange was going on, and she couldn't come herself. So she sent her little servant to do it for her."

"SYAORAN!" Sakura cried, shocked. She had _never_ heard him be so rude to someone before! "You shouldn't be so rude!"

Midori continued to smile. "It's all right. Didn't I tell you? Syaoran's mom is the only one in their whole family that cares about us. We're descendents to one of Clow Reed's biggest magical rivals!" she clapped her hands together. "Isn't that cool?"

"So…so the rivalry between Clow and your ancestor is kind of carried on in your families?"

"Yes!" Midori cried in the same, excited voice. "Except Syaoran's mom was the only one smart enough to realize such a thing like little rivalries are petty in such times of danger. So she came to see us. I think Syaoran hated that, didn't you?" she cooed. Syaoran only glowered at her. "His mom was worried," continued Midori, "about the cards. She's really powerful, did you know? She doesn't want any danger to come to the cards, so she sent me here to kind of check up on things!"

"B-B-But…" Sakura paused, trying to wrap her lethargic mind around Midori's words. "Syaoran is here to protect the cards. And so am I! These are _my_ cards, so I'm pretty sure I can take care of them. And how did that thing get into you anyway?"

"Okay, okay," Midori said, nearly bouncing in her seat at the foot of the couch, "this is how it goes. I came here to make sure the cards were okay. And the very thing Syaoran's mom was worried about is here! Or, was here. It sensed me and I think it somehow knew what I was doing. It doesn't really have a physical shape, I suppose." Midori paused, a somewhat glazes look coming over her eyes as she spoke. "It was more of a mind thing. I struggled desperately with it; using what magic I have to fend it off. But I'm too weak. It overtook my body, forcing me to head to the cards. I didn't know I'd find Syaoran and Sakura on a little outing," Midori smirked, and Sakura saw from the chair beside her Syaoran looked fit to burst.

"Before it attacked you, I had a chance to sneak out of its mental cage. I told you she would harm you."

"It's a she?" Sakura asked, surprised.

"Oh yes. The voice is obviously female." Midori nodded seriously. "But anyway, that's pretty much how it happened!"

Sakura lay back down, covering her eyes with her hands in a weary way. "If you don't have much magic," she began thoughtfully, "how come Syaoran's mother would send you to check on the cards? Wouldn't she just ask Syaoran to do it?"

Midori smirked. "Maybe she doesn't trust Syaoran, since he failed to collect all of the cards."

"Hey!" Syaoran cried, standing up abruptly. "That's none of your business, all right? I don't know what's going on with you, but—"

"Syaoran!" Sakura cried. "Calm down! She's a guest in my house, we have to be nice."

Syaoran glared at Midori one more time before he sat down on the chair again. Midori smiled in an irritating way.

"Syaoran's mother sent me, because I'm reliable. I won't hold anything back when I tell her what's going on with the cards—or their master."

Sakura felt a chill travel up her spine.

"So you're a spy this time, huh?" Syaoran spat.

"I suppose so," Midori said thoughtfully, resting a finger to her chin. "But only because you're too incompetent to be one yourself."

"My mother would never ask me, or anyone else, to be a spy!" Syaoran cried.

"Or maybe she wouldn't tell you she would ask someone else because she knows how you feel about Sakura, hm? She would think you would hide things from her. Which you probably would."

Syaoran's face grew very red. Sakura reached a hand to him tentatively, but he shook his head.

"Sakuuuraaaa! Sakuuuuraaaaa!"

"Kero?" Sakura bounded off of the couch and across the living room in three steps, grabbing the little animal before he could fly into the room. She rounded the corner with him in her grasp. She clung onto him tightly as she took a rattling gasp for air.

"Hey!" Kero cried, wiggling in her fingers. "Lemme out! What're you doing?"

Sakura let him go, still breathing heavily. "Cards…used the cards…very, very tired…"

"Kiddo! Your magic!" Kero scolded. "Why would you use cards when something strange is going on with your magic?"

Before Sakura could explain, another voice cut in.

"Allow me to explain, Keroberos," Midori said with a smile.

Kero's jaw dropped. "Wha—wha—WHAT?" He flew into the air in angry circles, babbling and howling about how the situation was crazy. "HOW DID SHE RECOGNIZE MEEE? WHO ARE YOOOU? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HEEEERE? WHAAAAAT?"

Midori glanced up at him. "Hm. I thought he'd be more—awe-inspiring."

That stopped Kero. He flew down to her in a flash of light, glowering inches away from her face. "Watch what you say, Carrot-top! When you see me in my true form, I'll knock your socks off! Just you wait! There'll be a time when I have to—"

"You will," Syaoran said suddenly, who was now helping Sakura up off of the floor, where she was leaning against the wall weakly. "Something else is in Tomoeda. And it's after Sakura."

* * *

"Well, this is news to me," Kero muttered darkly, hovering in midair. Sakura was lying on the couch again, sound asleep. Syaoran was sitting beside her on the same chair, watching over her and listening to Midori and Kero's conversation at the same time. Midori had just finished explaining the whole situation to Kero. "Why would it be after the cards? There are no more now, I know that. Hope has evened things out, so…"

A heavy silence fell over the room. Midori was now in the corner, inspecting a china pot.

"Look, could you just leave their stuff alone?" Syaoran suddenly snapped. "Just because you're here doesn't mean you're welcome to roam everywhere!"

Midori made a tutting noise, but she set the pot back down anyhow. "You _are_ kind of negative, aren't you Syaoran?"

"Look, I know you're not here because Mother sent you. It's obvious she wouldn't."

"But you did know she'd been visiting us, did you not?"

"Well…well, she would tell us some mornings, but that's beside the point! Why would she trust your family more than her own?"

Midori shrugged. "As I said before, we're more reliable. You can even call her up if you want. Ask her anything. She'll say the same things I did. And she might also add that everytime she visited she told us the update on the cards. That's why I seem to know everything about you and Little Sakura's escapades."

"You're a year younger than us!" Syaoran nearly yelled. "So don't call her little!"

Midori gave him a dark grin. "Oh yes. My mistake."

Syaoran turned away from her to look back at the sleeping Sakura. He smiled a little at the serene smile she had on her face.

"So," Kero suddenly broke in, "how does this explain Sakura's waning magic?"

"Obviously that thing is taking it," Midori stated. Kero glared at her.

"But how could it? It has to be _very_ powerful to be able to take away someone's magic!"

"But it couldn't get past Shield," Syaoran interrupted.

"Or maybe it just didn't want to," Midori stated, jumping over the back of the other couch and sitting down with a _thump._ "You can never tell what evil things are going to do."

"But where did it come from? Why is it after the cards? How can it travel? Just _how_ powerful is it?" Kero asked all of these questions, and the three fell into thoughtful silence.

"I guess," Syaoran began, "that's what we have to find out."

**A/N:** Lots of talking, I know! Blah. I had to introduce Midori though. And with that comes lots of talking! Hope it wasn't too boring slash badly written. Gah. More will make sense soon. Oh, and I tried to add a bit more detail into the scenes, but there's only so much I can talk about a living room. Heh. Read and review please, thanks sooo much!


	4. What's Cooking?

Sakura stood outside Syaoran's door three days after the incident in the park. She hadn't been feeling well the past few days, so instead she had locked herself up in her room, sleeping and eating and wondering where her magic was going. She still refused to see that something was actually taking it. That wasn't what she wanted at all.

School was starting in a week. Grade eight. Sakura felt the familiar jumpy happiness at the thought of seeing her friends again. She couldn't wait!

But what she couldn't wait even more for was to see Syaoran again. She had tried calling him numerous times, but everytime he wouldn't answer. Sakura felt that he was ignoring her, but she tried to brush that thought off. And it was a beautiful day outside! One of the last sunny, hot, and blue sky days they'd see in a while. The next month was forecast for rain, rain, and more rain. She wanted to spend her time with Syaoran.

Without hesitation, Sakura knocked firmly on the door. No answer. She rang the doorbell. Still no answer. She stood, silent, scuffing her shoe on the cement. Finally she rang the doorbell underneath the other. It was the one that would take her face to the phone upstairs. He couldn't _not_ ignore the ringing of a phone.

Just as she had hoped, someone picked up.

"Syaoran! Hi! It's Sakura!" Sakura said, bubbling over with happiness. "I wanted to know if you wanted to do something today, given the beautiful weather—"

"This isn't Syaoran," said a happy voice.

"M-M-Midori?" Sakura asked suddenly, feeling something writhe within her navel area. "What are you doing at Syaoran's? And why are you answering his phones?"

"Well, I have no place to stay. So, the obvious place was to stay here!" cooed the voice. "Syaoran hasn't let me out since then though. I don't think he trusts me," she whispered suddenly. Sakura felt very odd having a conversation with someone she couldn't see.

"Er…"

"And he keeps calling his mother, asking questions about me and this and that." Midori gave a stifled giggle. "Anyway, what did you want?"

"I-I-Is Syaoran there?" she asked, feeling suddenly stupid. Why hadn't Syaoran answered it himself?

"Oh, he's busy right now," Midori gushed. "But I can let you in if you'd like!"

Sakura nodded primly, then mumbled a "yes please." She didn't really want to know what Syaoran was busy _with._

* * *

"SYAORAN! YOU HAVE A VISITOR!" screeched Midori the minute Sakura stepped into the house. She slid on slippers and padded across the hardwood, heading straight for the couch to flop down on. Even walking to his house had been somewhat tiring.

"Who is it?" asked a voice from the back. "It better be Mother coming to take you back to Hong Ko—" Syaoran appeared from behind a door, a bowl in one hand, spoon in the other, and an apron fit for a girl tied around his body. He stared at Sakura.

"Sakura?" he asked. "Oh, well…hello."

"Hello," she said somewhat stiffly. Shouldn't he be apologizing for not answering her calls? Or visiting her? Or better yet, _calling_ her?

He looked down at what he was wearing and a blush slowly crept to his face. "Er—would you like some lunch? I was just making some…"

Sakura felt her stomach rumble. "Oh, well, I guess," she said instead.

Syaoran paused, as if he were going to say something, but instead marched right back into the kitchen. Sakura didn't even bother to follow him. Instead, she sank lower on the blue leather sofa, finding it as uncomfortable as the wooden floor would be. She took in the living room as she waited in stiff silence. In front of her sat a coffee table with a glass top, and on the other side was another sofa similar to this one. The room was very empty—nothing else existed in the living room except a few potted plants and two pictures hanging limply from the wall. Sakura sighed heavily, watching her bangs fly up. This wasn't how she had wanted to spend her time with Syaoran…was it?

"How's your magic?" chirped a voice from behind Sakura. She knew it was Midori, trying to be polite. Sakura desperately wished she hadn't saved the girl.

"It's good," she said, not understanding why she was being so cold to this girl. She had no right to judge her…yet.

"Good, good!" Midori said, jumping over the back of the sofa and landing with a soft _plop_ beside Sakura. She mentally cringed.

"So—so, what have you and Syaoran been doing?" Sakura asked carefully. Midori shrugged.

"Oh, well, he doesn't seem too fond of me, so we keep our distance."

Sakura bit her tongue, not wanting to ask the question that was bothering her most. Finally, she gave in. "Does he know I've been leaving messages?" she asked in one quick breath. Midori looked at her carefully for a moment, and then put her finger to her chin.

"Hm. I'm not sure. Want me to go ask?"

Sakura hesitated. She didn't want to seem chicken. SHE should go ask him. But then, the thought of getting out of an awkward situation with Syaoran was oddly pleasing…

"Sure," she said quietly, realizing maybe Midori wasn't all that bad.

"Great! Be back in a sec!" Midori bounced off the couch and ran across the living room.

"Hey—Midori?" Sakura asked suddenly. Midori wheeled around.

"Yea?"

"…Thanks," Sakura said stupidly. But she felt the need to be polite.

Midori grinned—or was it a smirk? "No problem."

* * *

"So Syaoran, why aren't you going to visit her? Huh? Huh?"

Syaoran was busy adding some spices to his soup. He chose to ignore Midori and instead sniffed over the pot. He turned the heat up a bit and continued to stir, pretending Midori didn't exist.

"Syaoran? Why aren't you talking to her? She came to visit you, you know!"

"Really?" Syaoran asked suddenly through gritted teeth. "Well, why don't you go ask her why she hasn't been returning my calls? Or answering the door?"  
Midori hesitated. Syaoran stopped, glaring at her. "What?" he snapped. "Something you want to tell me?"

Midori grinned and opened her mouth. "Nope!" she cried happily, shaking her head. "There is absolutely nothing I need to tell you!"

Syaoran sighed heavily. "Fine. Whatever. Go away."

Midori winked. "I'll go ask her right now!" She spun around and trotted out of the kitchen, leaving Syaoran more annoyed and frustrated then he had been the past three days.

What he didn't notice was the soft click of the kitchen door lock as Midori left the room.

* * *

"Well?" Sakura asked hopefully when Midori came within whispering distance. "What did he say?"  
Midori shrugged. "He didn't really want to go onto the topic."

Sakura felt her stomach turn over. "But you made him, right? You made him?"  
Midori sat on the sofa opposite of Sakura. "Well yes, of course," she said solemnly. "I asked him. And he said it was because he didn't want to talk to you. _Or_ see you."

Sakura's mouth dropped open. "W-What?" she asked through a suddenly dry throat. "What did he say?"  
"He said that if he spoke to you or saw you, he was afraid his own magic would begin to drain. And you know he needs it for battling this new bad guy. Or girl."

Sakura's bottom lip trembled and she rubbed at her eyes hurriedly. How could he say that? Hadn't he told her he loved her? What was going on? "So h-his magic is more important than…than me?"

Midori nodded. "It would seem so."

Sakura paused, and then shook her head fervently. "Syaoran wouldn't say something like that!" she cried, standing up. "He wouldn't say anything like that, and especially to someone he doesn't like!" She paused. "No offense."

Midori shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "No offense taken."

Sakura sniffed. "I think I'll go talk to him." The thought made her feel queasy, but it was the only way anything would get solved, right?

Midori stood up suddenly. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

Sakura sighed. "Why not?"

"Because! He might do something! He doesn't want to see you, remember?"

"So? I can still talk to him through the door!"

Sakura straightened her red skirt and began to walk, sure-footed, to the kitchen door. Behind her, Midori watched with wide eyes. Sudden realization seemed to hit her face.

"Sakura, don't!" Midori took a giant leap towards her, eyes squinted shut as if she were in deep thought.

Sakura turned around just in time to feel Midori ramming into her. "AH!" she cried, falling to the floor with Midori crumpling on top of her and then rolling off. Sakura watched, wide-eyed, as Midori shakily stood up.

"Why did you do that?" Sakura asked rather grumpily, feeling that it was a kind of useless move.

"I had to stop you!" Midori cried, more loudly then necessary.

"But why?" Sakura asked, scrambling up.

A shout from the kitchen seemed to answer her question.

"SYAORAN!" she screamed, running to the kitchen and opening the kitchen door with a leap.

But it didn't open.

Sakura jiggled at the knob. Then she shook at it, hearing noises from behind the door.

"SYAORAN?" she called. There was no answer, only the clattering of pots and pans and other metallic things as they hit the floor. There was a shuffling noise, then a sniff, and then more running and angry yells. Things seemed to be falling or being thrown, and someone seemed to be running around the kitchen.

"SYAORAN, ANSWER!" Sakura cried desperately. "THE DOOR IS STUCK, AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO GET IN!"

He didn't answer. She couldn't hear any coherent words. That was odd. You think she would be able to hear _some_ yelled words. But everything sounded fuzzy, like a radio that wasn't working properly…

"Did you sense it or something?" Sakura asked Midori, who was standing behind her, wide-eyed.

"I guess so," she said slowly. "I just knew there was something in that kitchen…"

"_I_ should have been able to sense it too!" Sakura cried desperately, rattling the doorknob hopelessly. "Why didn't _I_ sense it?"  
Midori could only shrug.

Sakura closed her eyes as she heard more clatters and muffled cries from behind the door. She was thinking rapidly. What could she do? What was behind that door? Whatever it was, it was attacking Syaoran…

"SYAORAN! I'M COMING!" Sakura forgot everything he had said about her. With one flick of her wrist, Sakura had her key. "RELEASE!" she cried, and the staff grew into her hands. She faced the door defiantly, mind racing and body trembling.

"Sakura?"

"What?"

"You mean you're going in there…even after what Syaoran said?"

Sakura turned around to face Midori. "I…I love him," she said evenly, hearing the words come out of her like they were a strange new language. "And I can't just let him be attacked by whatever's in there!"

Without talking anymore, Sakura pulled out a card. "THROUGH!" she cried, throwing it into the air. Without a moment's hesitation a large black hole grew in the door. Sakura took a steadying breath and then took one step through the hole with her eyes shut tight.

When she entered the kitchen, she saw more chaos then she could have ever imagined happening in less than two minutes. Pots and pans were scattered all of the kitchen, some dented and banged up, hanging off of cupboards or lying helter skelter on the floor. Cupboards were wide open and seemed all the things in them had been thrown at something. Spices and other foods and ingredients were spilling out of their containers, littering the floor and counters. Lights were broken, chairs turned over, and a pot of soup was lying right in front of her, spilled all over the floor.

But the worst thing was on the other side of the large kitchen. Syaoran was standing up on a wooden dining table, sword in one hand and the other hanging onto a broom for dear life. In front of him, curled up on the floor in what seemed like a threatening position, was a giant snake.

But as Sakura looked closer, it wasn't _exactly_ a snake. It looked like one, but the scales looked tougher, and shinier. On its head the eyes didn't seem to exist. Just black slits and a large, open mouth with a tongue that was definitely not a snake's. It was a deep burgundy, flashing different colors in the kitchen's light. And on the end of its tail sat a threatening, spiky end, formed in the shape of a sphere. Sakura bit her lip at the sight of Syaoran bruised, rumpled, and completely out of breath.

"Syaoran!" she finally managed to cry. He looked over at her, eyes wide. He made a shushing motion, pointing at the lizard-snake. When Sakura peered over her staff, she saw that it had its head in the air, listening. Then it hit. This thing couldn't _see. _It could only hear. She realized with a sickening realization it was staring in _her_ direction. Her mind fumbled for a card. A card, a card, any card…

She let out an inaudible squeak as the beast slowly unraveled and traveled over all the items on the floor her way. She took a step back, but felt her back press against the kitchen door. She jiggled the knob. It was locked. Without thinking she fumbled for the lock, but couldn't find it anywhere. She looked behind briefly to see…wait. There _wasn't_ a lock! Then how…?

Sakura had no time to think about that. She trembled from head to toe, but her hands were sure as they picked out a card.

But her choice was destroyed when the beast made a sudden snapping motion at her, its body stretching out faster than any normal animal. With a shriek, she grasped for the first card that could save her from those massive jaws.

"JUMP!"

She bounded over the beast and landed softly beside Syaoran on the table. The thing had now stopped. It was listening again.

"W-What is it?" she whispered in a trembling voice. Syaoran looked at it warily.

"I have no idea," he whispered back harshly. "Now shut up."

Sakura shut her mouth as he had ordered, wondering where it had come from. Okay, she thought, trying to calm her nerves as the serpent beast wiggled its head some more in the air, I just need a card. A card, a card, any card. But it's not a card itself! I don't know how to get rid of its body! Sakura felt her body starting to sweat at the thought it would never leave. What could they do? And Midori! Where was she?

Sakura didn't have time to crane her neck and look. Syaoran's yell of surprise was enough to send her diving off of the table and rolling onto the pot and food littered floor. Scrambling back up she saw the beast's head lying on the table where she and Syaoran had been standing a few moments ago. What she really needed was Keroberos, more than anything. Yue would be so much help as well.

"Sakura! Pick a card, already!" Syaoran cried, lashing at the beast with his sword. It snapped at the metal, hearing it chink against its scales. Sakura narrowed her eyes. She was sick of this beast, roaming in the kitchen as it pleased. And after she beat it, she was going to ask Midori how she had known it was here, and _then_ she was going to ask Syaoran where it had come from!

Sakura grimaced. What card had rarely failed her in all of her times as Master of the Cards?

"Windy! Form a cage around the beast!" Sakura cried, watching as Windy flew out of its card and surrounded the beast in a cage similar to that that captured Yue.

The serpent lashed within its cage. Sakura wondered if this thing had been sent by that shadow woman. If that were so, this thing would, in a matter of time, overcome the card. Then it would be hopeless.

"Now what?" she asked Syaoran nervously. "I've rarely dealt with something that isn't a card before!" The cage shook dangerously. Syaoran stared at it, and Sakura knew he was doing some quick thinking.

"Well, it's obviously magical. So we need to, I don't know, magically erase it…"

"Erase it! That's it!" Sakura whipped out her second card. "ERASE!"

The tail of the serpent was taken first. Slowly but surely the rest if its body withered away into the air, taking more time to be erased than it should have. Sakura supposed it was because it was magical. She watched it nervously, feeling a seed of pity for it when it gave one last, lingering cry, before its head vanished into thin air.

When Sakura was sure the beast was gone from the messy kitchen, she sank to her knees. She felt immensely weak, but not as much as the other day, even though she had used the same amount of cards. Maybe she would feel tired much later. Syaoran was at her side in a second, steadying her with an arm.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently.

Sakura nodded up at him, smiling feebly. "I'm all right. But what about you? Where did that thing _come_ from?"

Syaoran shrugged, his eyes as hard as stone. "I don't know. I was just in here—um—cooking," Sakura noticed his cheeks grow pink, "when suddenly it was just sitting on the other side of the counter, all coiled up and ready to strike. So I jumped up and started throwing anything I could at it out of the cupboards. It decided to ram into a few itself though." He gave a heavy sigh. "This is going to take forever cleaning up."

Sakura didn't hear his last statement though. Her eyes drifted to his arm that was gripped tight onto her shoulder. She let out an audible gasp.

"Syaoran!" she cried, grabbing the arm and inspecting it. "You're hurt! You're bleeding!"

"What? Oh…I guess I am," he said, shrugging. Sakura gazed at the long cut that began near his wrist and went all the way up to his elbow. It was bleeding, but not as heavily as it had obviously been earlier.

"That mean old snake got your arm!" she tutted, standing up and dragging Syaoran by the arm out of the kitchen. "I've got to fix it!"

"Sakura, I'm pretty sure I can clean a cut myself," he informed her dryly. Sakura ignored him, only continued to drag him down the hall and to the nearest washroom.

"Sit," she said, pointing to the toilet. Syaoran rolled his eyes and set the lid down, sitting uncomfortably on the hard plastic. Sakura grabbed a washcloth from the cupboard and waited until the water was lukewarm. She let the washcloth soak in water, and then she turned off the tap and began to wring the washcloth until it was only damp. She walked over to him and knelt down, holding out her hand so Syaoran knew to stick out his arm for her.

It was silent as Sakura washed the cut, except for two or three gasps Syaoran let out when the washcloth hit a sensitive part of the cut. Sakura only smiled, blushing to herself for no particular reason.

When she was done washing she dug around, on Syaoran's instruction, to find a box of bandages. They were the old kind, which wrapped around until you snipped it off of the roll. She did just that, covering the whole left forearm until the cut was concealed under bandages.

"It says here," Sakura read from the back of the box, "to change them when you wake up, before you go to sleep, and to take them off when you bathe or go swimming."

"Hm," was all Syaoran said, inspecting Sakura's bandaging job. "I want to know how it got into my kitchen," Syaoran suddenly said, his voice sharp and angry. Sakura looked up at the sudden change in his tone.

"I want to too," she told him. "I don't even know what it _was_. I mean, who could or would send something like that into the kitchen?"

The two seemed to have momentarily forgotten about the other person not returning the others calls. But just like that, both remembered. They didn't know what triggered it. Maybe it was because they both heard Midori singing something as she cleaned the kitchen, reminding both of their earlier conversations with her.

"Syaoran…"

"Sakura…"

The two paused and blushed at their overlapping statements. "You first," Syaoran mumbled.

Sakura coughed nervously. Now was the time to ask him herself. She leaned more against the bathroom wall; glad she was at least sitting down and not standing. "Um…Syaoran, I was wondering why you weren't, well, returning my calls and—and why _you _weren't calling _me,_" she added, feeling selfish at the last statement.

Syaoran's jaw dropped. "Y-You've been calling me?" he asked loudly. "_I've _been calling _you!_ I thought you weren't calling me, either!"

The two fell into a silence, filled with both relief and confusion.

"Did you leave messages?" Sakura asked.

"Yes," Syaoran said hesitantly, deciding not to add he had left ten of them in one day.

Sakura nodded slowly. "So did I. But I checked my phone!"

"Me too…"

"What's going on here?" Sakura wondered aloud. "Do you think some kind of force erased our messages?"

"But why?" Syaoran asked in disbelief, crossing his arms defiantly. "I mean, who in the world would care about us leaving messages for each other? Or calling each other?"

Sakura shook her head defensively. "I don't know, but I know Toya wouldn't have erased the messages. He would have told me."

"And there's no one in my house but myself and…"

"Midori!" they both cried at the same time.

"But what about at my house?" Sakura asked. "I mean, it makes sense for _your_ house, but…"

"I don't know, and I don't care. I'm confronting Midori right now!" Syaoran stood up and strode past Sakura and out the door. She scrambled up and followed him cautiously.

"Syaoran…" she began to say. But Syaoran didn't listen. He swerved into the kitchen, his face visibly angry.

"Midori!" he cried angrily. "What do you think you're doing, erasing all my messages and Sakura's? That's so stupid! Why wouldn't you want us to talk to each other?"

Midori turned slowly around, red hair shimmering. "Hm? Oh, yes. About that."

"AND you were lying straight to my face! Saying she said she didn't leave messages!" Sakura reached out nervously for Syaoran's arm, but he brushed her off, fully intent on chewing on Midori and then spitting her back out until she was crumpled and dead.

She shrugged. "I felt that the closeness of you two would deprive me of the space I needed between you."

"Space you _needed?_ What does THAT mean?" Syaoran yelled.

"The space I need to _spy,_ Syaoran, _really._" She rolled her eyes and continued to slip pots and pans back into the undamaged cupboards. A vein in Syaoran's temple throbbed.

"_WHAT?_"

Midori continued to put things back in cupboards somewhat quietly. "I feel that if you two are too close, I won't be receiving…reliable information."

"You make it sound like my mother works for some sort of spy agency or something!" Syaoran scoffed. "When I called her, all she said was that she sent you to make sure the cards are okay. See? They're fine. Sakura's fine. We're ALL fine. LEAVE TOMEODA ALREADY!" Syaoran finally yelled, slapping a hand on the counter in anger.

Midori watched him through suspicious, narrow eyes. "Things won't be fine soon," she told them ominously. Syaoran watched her through angry eyes.

"What, are you psychic or something?"

"It doesn't take a psychic to notice Sakura's power is leaking steadily away from her body. Even your mother noticed it, and she's all the way in a different country! Something is purposely taking Sakura's power for some reason. What that reason is, I don't know."

Midori stood up suddenly. "I'm not going to stay in here if you're just going to act like some little kid, Syaoran." With a sweep of her hair she stalked out of the kitchen, giving Sakura a smile she found was chilling. When Midori left the room, Syaoran slammed his other hand onto the counter, leaning against it and hanging his head in what seemed like an ashamed way. Sakura took tentative steps towards him.

"Syaoran?" she asked nervously. "What's wrong?"

"More like what _isn't _wrong. It'd be a shorter answer," he moaned.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, rashly grabbing onto his arm to hold onto. He stiffened at the touch, but answered her question, which relaxed his muscles.

"My mother has lost trust me in and sent over some weird spy girl that acts much too old for her age. Your magic is draining and I can't help at all, and I don't have the cards or anything to help against any more villains that might come, and, oh yea, Midori is living in my house. _And_ she seems to know more then she's letting on, which really, _really_ annoys me."

Sakura patted his arm awkwardly. "Syaoran, you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine! I'm sure I'm just a little sick or something. I'll be okay. And I'm sure your mom trusts you. Maybe she just doesn't want to bother you…?" She knew her question was stupid as soon as she had asked it. Syaoran shook his head vigorously.

"No, Sakura. You're not okay. Something's happening to you, and…and I can't _do_ anything!" Sakura thought she heard his voice tremble, so she clung on tighter. Syaoran's voice _never_ trembled. It just _didn't._

"Syaoran," she said in a pleading voice, ripping his hands away from the counter and holding his arms in place beside him so they could face each other. Sakura felt suddenly very nervous, and she knew her face was as red as Syaoran's. "Don't worry, okay?" she whispered. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure we'll take care of these problems when they come…okay?" She shifted uneasily under his gaze. "Seeing you like this…angry, and—and…" She paused. She wasn't about to say _useless, hurt, and sad_ in front of Syaoran. "Syaoran, I don't want to hear you sound like that again," she decided to say. "Ever."

Syaoran's face was still, but it soon broke out into a comforting, almost sad smile. He didn't say anything. Instead, taking both by surprise, he leaned down and hugged her tightly. Sakura let out a little gasp, but willingly hugged him.

The two clung onto each other for a few more moments, both feeling, at least for the moment, that all was right in the world. It felt good knowing there was always someone there to hug and laugh with, and talk with and…and maybe even more.

The two broke apart, both smiling sheepishly. Hesitantly, tentatively, Sakura stood on tiptoe and kissed Syaoran lightly on the left cheek. As she stepped back down, Syaoran's face was flaming red. Sakura let out a nervous giggle.

"Don't worry Syaoran. I'm always here, okay?"  
Syaoran managed to nod, and let out a raspy, "Yea…Yea, me too."

The two smiled at each other, and Sakura felt, once more, the overwhelming happiness that took over her everytime she saw Syaoran.

Things would turn out okay. They would have to, with Syaoran at her side once again.


End file.
